Adjustable gripping tool



E. KOVARY- ADJUSTABLE GRIPPING TOOL Filed May s, .1924

Mmm/woz Kaye/ze jfamuy 351g MS CFM/iowa? EUGENE X'GVRY, F BROOKLYN, NEW YRK.

.SJUSTABLE GRIPPING T0011.

ein, 'it may coi-erm that i, .leerlnn loi'anr, a nited States and resident ot "i the county et sings and State o ,I crit7 here invented certain nen' end useful improvements inv irdiustabie i}"ippiiig Tools. et which the following is 'a "ication invention relates to an implement de signed specifically for use as a sot-liet Wrench, but which .is also useful7 with or itlient n `idilicatiene., within the principles ention as herein disclesecl` as a L.ing implement. for other purposes, suon, for example, 'as a chuck or adjustable tooi er implement holder.

The general object et' the invention is to provide an adjustable gripping iniplenient of the socket Wrench or chuck type in which e Sufficient number of grippers or .jaws may be provided for any practical purpose for which such an. implement is used; to provide suitable mounting for the jau's which permits thein proper adjustn'ient and at the same time supports tliein with substantial rigidity against dislocation in various dlrectiens in any o1c their adisted positions; to provide a new and in'iprored adjusting struct re or ail'ranoeinent inconnection with other features of the inrention; and further,

to provide an appliance embodying seine or.

ellnoif the. ab ce mentioned tentures and which. is, at. tbe same time, quite siinple and therefore may' be produced at moderate cost.

rlhe characteristics'and advantages of the invention are further sutiiciently explained in connection with the following detail description ogt' tile accompanying drawings, which show one eaenipli'tyingembodiment of the invention. After considering' this examplej slfiilled persons Will widerstand that many variations may' be .niade within the principles ot the invention. and l conteniplate the employment o t anystruetures that are properly within the scope ot' the appended claim-s.

Fig.. it is 'a View, partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section ot an applianw'embodying the invention in one torni. i

2 is a similar View but with ail lower part et the tool in lor 'itudinal section, and with the jaws in a. snbstantiedly Wide-open or expanded position.

Fig. 3 is a section at 554-3,

Fig, 4 is a section at at--t Fig.

1924. Serial No. 710,846.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View ot the lower or mandrel portion ot the niain stein or supporting body et the :.ippliance.

Fig. (3 is a perspective View ot' one of the 'adjustal'ile jaws or grippers withv its body or supporting member.

Fig. T is va bottoni plan vien' ol Fig. Z.- The unplenient 1s arranged upon or around a inain bod)v or spindle l, which nia)v be a. cylindrical bar ot' tool steel. properlj,Y shaped or machined tor the present purpose. Any suitable l'iandle, such as a cross-bai.' 2, is passed through a hole f3 in the upper end of the Spindle. The handle may be arranged in any ltnou'n or suitable way, for instance, it may be fixed or longitudinally slidable, and may, it desired, be proif'ided with a curved end (not shown) so that it may be 'folded down alongside the tool without detachment, usual in socket Wrenches of certain types.

The lower portion of the bodyY or spindle; l is machined or otheivise formed to provide a an support or mandrel 5, best shown in perspective in This niandrel comprises spaced rails or ribs (S which have near their upper ends, radial extensions 7 foi-ined with shoulders 8. t their lower ends the ribs have other radial extensions 9 rein forced or supported by a transverse cir cular iiange 10 termed substantially at the end ot the niain lood)v or spindle l. The rib extensions 9 have oblique edge fares il. Each ot the main rails or ribs G is interrupt ed at a point somewhat below its mid-length. torn'iing;` a recess or socket l2.

(lo-operatingwith the mandrel is a plurality ot jaw bodies'l. the number ot these corresponding;- to the number ot n'iandrrl ribs t3. The bodies l5 are of curved or substantially arcuate -torni to provide Ytor a rocking action. The inner 'tace of each body is provided with a deep channel rousisting ot the portions V17 and 1S. inter-- rupted by a lug, or channel partition 1). which extends to the inner tace. ot the jaw body. The channel portion l? eneloses the upper part ottone ot the mandrel ribs (3: the lug or partition it) lies in the ribrec'ess or soclet l2, and channel portion 1l cncloses the lower portion ot the ni'andrel rib` as clearly shown in 2.

Near itslower end, each jaw bod7 has an enlargement Q5 and in the lower portion of this enlargement the jaw 26 is formed, each iaw having a suitable gripping; tace 27 to Utl Q Leader? angularly arranged surfaces, designed to gri one corner of a hexagonal nut.`

Evidently the gripping surface may be differently designed or arranged to cio-operate with other objects.

Adjacent to the jaw cach gripper body has a. transverse channel or recess 30 to acco'inniodate'the annular flange 1t), and chan nel portion 18 is enlarged or cut outward through the upper portion of the enlargement 25 to accommodate rib extension 9. In the upper end of each jaw body is a slot 32 to accommodate rib extension 7.

A segmental screw thread -ll is cut, pressed or otherwise suitably Jformed on the outer arcuate face of each jaw body, the threads von all of the bodies being designed co-operatively to produce in clect a continuous screw thread; and because this thread is interrupted between each two adjacent jaw bodies, the thread need not necessarily be of true form but may be of iiiodilied or irregular torni.v suitable. for the present purpose. Cri-operating with the thread-- ed or toothed jaw bodies is an adjusting sleeve or nut 45, novided on each end with a shallow internal llange 4G in each of which is foi-ined a continuous short screw thread 47 designed to co-opeiate witli tln` interrupted threads or teeth 40. The outer surface of the adjusting sleeve is usually roughened or knurled as indicated at 48.

The described structural features permit the usc of any desired number of jaws Witliiii reasonable limits. Obviously two, three or four jaws` might be used; but an important feature ot' the invention is that the described eonstruction and arrangement pei'- mits the use of more than four jaws and coiii'eniently, as man v as six jaws, to prop-- orly co-operatc with a hexagonal nut. Since there are ver few nuts or any other objects arranged fbi' (io-operation with a wrench or chuck that have more. than sin: faces, it will usually be unnecessary to provide more than six gripper bodies, but eridentiy this is possible it' the occasion for it arises.

The appliance is assembled by placing the gripper bodiesloosely in position on the mandrel and expanding the jaws somewhat beyond the position indi lated in Fig. L. 'llie adjusting sleevc'or nut. 45 is then passed over the upper ends of the jaws and as soon as it reaches approximately the position shown in Fig. 2, the lower nut threads 46 will engage with tbc` threadsy or teeth on the outer fares of the jaw bodiesl` and shortly thereafter. b rotary movement of the sleeve, the upper thread.`v iti will come in engagement with the jaw bod)4 threads or teeth, and thereafter the jaw bodies are osit'ively held in position on the mandrel )ythe sleeve, and rotative movement ot the sleeve cti'ects adjustment of the jaws in an obvious way by a rocking' moreinent of the jaws upon the mandrel. Figs. l and 3 suliciently` indicate a contracted position of the jaws, and Figs. 2, 4 and l" sufficiently illustrate the open or expanded position of the jaws, and of course, they may be made to assume any intermediate position.

ln all ot' their positions, the jaws are positively guided by the iiiterittin co-o eration of ribs (i with jaw body ciannes 1'? and 18. llndwise displacement of the jaw bodies is prevented by enffageinent off the lugs 19 in sockets l2. "wistiiig movement of the jaws is further presented by engagement of rib extensions 9 in the. outward eirteusions oi channeis 18 and also by engagement of rib extensions 'i' in siots 32. Eridently, therefore, the jaw bodies and jaws are positively held and guided, not only for true movement in adjustment, but so that they are well adapted to rigidly withstand the twisting strains incident t the use of the appliance as a wrench or as a tool chuck.

l. .im adjustable gripping appliance coinprisiner a main body having a. mandrei por tion. a plu -alitj' of jaw bodies of substantially arcuatedorni mounted in spaced re lation on the mandrel, each jaw bodybeing provided with a jaw projecting be ond the mandrel` the niaiidi'ei and jaw bodies being provided with. interfittinnF ribs and channels admitting ot rochinp7 adjustment autrement of the jaw bodies and taking tw'istinfir strain applied to the jaws, the jaw bodiesmbarinr arcuate outer faces provided with teeth which comperatirely toi-in a screw thread. and an adjusting sleeve having internal, threads cci-operating with the screw thread of the combined jaw bodies.

2. .-lrn adjustable gripping appliance coin prising a main body haring a. mandrel por# tion. a plurality oi jaw bodies ol substantially arcuate form mounted in spaced reistion on the mandrel, each jaw body being provided with a. jaw projecting beyond the mandrel. the mandrel and jaw bodies being provided with inici-fitting ribs and channels admitting of rocking adjustment more ment of tbe jaw bodies and taking twisting; strain applied to the jaws, the mandrel and jaw bodies harinf comperating ineens pre rentingr longitudinal displacement the jaw bodies, the jaw bodies having arcuate outer faces provided with teeth which eooperatively torni a screw thread, and an ad justine sleeve haring interna?. threads operating with the screw thread ot the combine( Ijaw bodies.

3, .tn adjustable gripping appliance couilim ,los

lill

llfl

ing arcuate outer faces provided with teeth thread of the combined jim' bodies to z1dl which eta-operatively forni a screw thread, just the latter by rocking movement as the und un adjusting sleeve surrounding the sleeve is rotated. i l jaw bodies und having an Unthreaded CenA Signed at New York in the county of tml portion and internal Screw threads ex New York and State 0f New York this 26th tending a shot distance inward from each day of April A. D. 1924. f end of the sleeve und enfraging the screw A EUGENE KGVBY. 

